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Health care for children in Pachacutec, Peru Caring for Peruvian children living in a large slum is one of hundreds of ways in which Medical Mission Sisters around the world try to be a healing presence to others today. The slum of Pachacutec, Peru, is home to 200,000 people living in extreme poverty. Located about an hour’s drive north from Callao, it sits atop sand dunes. Sister-Doctor Maria Fernanda Ramirez and Sister Barbara Ann Brigham began serving here together in 2004. Sister Barbara made contacts and scheduled meetings with the women of the area, while Sister Maria, a pediatrician, saw patients. In 2005, Peru’s Ministry of Women and Social Development opened a Center of Emergency for Women (CEM) in Pachacutec as part of their National Program Against Family Violence and Sexual Abuse. Sister Barbara works with the CEM and local people as a facilitator of nonviolence.
In late 2006, our Sisters opened a simple medical office where Sister Maria, the only pediatrician in the area, provides care for children under 14. Besides the usual medical evaluation, she emphasizes prevention and talks to children and parents about their worries as a family. Parents share with Sister Maria all their concerns about their children’s health. Sister Maria says, “We want to offer more humanized and integral health care for children under 14 as individuals, and as part of a community. We also want to offer parents a time and place where they can share their experiences, questions, doubts and beliefs regarding children’s health care.”
“At the same time, we take time to dialogue with parents on prevention of diseases and simple measures to give the initial treatment of the most common diseases at home.” With the help of a generous donor, our Sisters hope to expand their health care ministry to two locations in Pachacutec, and to be able to offer low-cost medicines and/or subsidized medicines to families in great need. They also hope to be able to offer the services of a linguistic therapist and a psychologist once a week.
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